Effects of two consecutive experimental Haemonchus contortus infections on abomasal pepsin and electrolytes and serum pepsinogen and electrolytes of sheep.
Pepsinogen, sodium, potassium and chloride concentrations in blood, and pepsin, pH and ionic concentrations in abomasal contents were measured in 4 lambs each fitted with a permanent abomasal cannula infected with 25 000 H. contortus larvae at intervals of 39 days. No significant change in blood sodium, potassium and chloride concentrations occurred after infections while the pepsinogen level increased rapidly to reaching a maximum (600% of control) 7-8 days after infection. This increase was associated with a rise in abomasal pepsin secretion, the pepsin concentration in the contents rising from 7210 to 9220 mU of tyrosine during the same period. This period was characterized by a significant (P less than 0.01) increase in abomasal pH and Na+ concentration whereas the K+ and Cl- concentrations were significantly (P less than 0.01) reduced. The second infection was associated with similar abomasal ionic changes but of shorter duration. It is likely that the second infection transiently stimulated the egg-aying of the adult worms of the first infection. Twenty one days after the re-infection the number of adult worms remaining was very low (139 +/- 41) and is considered as an effect of the "self-cure" phenomenon.
D000018:Abomasum / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006188:Haemonchiasis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010434:Pepsin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D010435:Pepsinogens / Q000097:blood*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D014252:Trichostrongyloidiasis / Q000662:veterinary*
D002712:Chlorides; D004573:Electrolytes; D010435:Pepsinogens; D012964:Sodium; D010434:Pepsin A; D011188:Potassium